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Charlie Grant
Blue Jackets vs. Capitals: Game 1 Prediction, NHL Playoff Odds
Washington hockey fans are afraid to even ask the question out loud so we’ll whisper it for them: Is this the year the Capitals finally make a deep run in the Stanley Cup playoffs? The Columbus Blue Jackets and Sergei Bobrovsky stand in their way in the first round. Game 1 of this NHL matchup goes Thursday night in D.C.
Blue Jackets vs. Capitals Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Analysis
The middle part of Columbus’ season wasn’t pretty but the club ended on a high note and finished as the top scoring team after the All-Star break and went 14-5 straight up during their last 19 games. The over went 6-0 in the Blue Jackets’ final six games of the campaign and 15-5 in their last 20 contests.
The Jackets finished fourth in the Metropolitan division with a 45-37 straight up record. Columbus lost three of its four games against the Capitals this season but won the last encounter 5-1.
The Capitals ended the regular season by winning 12 of their last 15 matchups and the over went 8-4-1 in their last 13 games. Washington finished atop their division for the eighth time in the last 11 years thanks to its 49-33 overall record. The Caps are 51-20 SU in their last 71 home games.
Washington is a -124 favourite to win the series at Sports Interaction and the Blue Jackets paying +104 should they pull off the upset. You can also bet on the exact outcome of the series (series winner in X amount of games) and there’s also a prop bet on which player will score more points: Columbus’ Antemi Panarin (+120) or Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin (-111) with the draw playing +500.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The lights went on for the Blue Jackets’ offensive attack on trade deadline day. The club averaged 3.95 goals per game over its final 20 games and Artemi Panarin was a big reason why. The second-year winger registered 30 of his team-high 82 points in his final 18 games of the regular season.
Columbus will need a big series from two-time Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky to get past the Capitals. Bobrovsky finished with a 2.42 goals against average (11th best in the NHL) and .921 save percentage. Good numbers but inferior to last season’s output.
Washington Capitals
Washington does not have the same faith in its No. 1 netminder. The Capitals are benching former starter Branden Holtby and going forward with Philipp Grubauer instead – at least in Game 1. Grubauer finished with a 2.35 GAA and .923 save percentage in 35 appearances during the regular season.
